The assault by a transgender individual on a veterinarian following the death of her cat has caused widespread anger in Turkey, prompting veterinarians in Ankara to plan a protest on August 6 against the violence faced by their colleague. The incident occurred at the veterinary clinic owned by Serin Eroglu in the Çankaya district of the Turkish capital. A transgender woman named A.K. brought her prematurely born cat "Victoria," which had developed an infection, to the clinic.
The cat died four days after receiving treatment, leading its owner, accompanied by four friends, to storm the clinic and attack Dr. Serin Eroglu. The assailant slapped her, pulled her hair, and hit her on the head. The incident was captured on security cameras, showing the attacker threatening, "I will choke you, wait to see what I will do next. That's it, here’s the clinic." She was later taken to the police station but was released after questioning.
In the meantime, veterinarians in Ankara announced that they would cease work on August 6 in protest against the violence directed at them while doing their jobs, stating that only emergency cases would be handled. The Ankara Veterinary Chamber (AVHO) issued a statement on its official social media accounts, highlighting that "due to the horrific attack on a colleague in Çankaya, we will not accept patients in our clinics across Turkey on Sunday, August 6. It is important for all our colleagues to comply with this measure. We have been attacked because we are not included in the health violence law."
Ahmet Bedin, the head of the Ankara Veterinary Chamber, remarked, "There is no end to the attacks on our colleagues working in animal health, public health, and environmental health, who work diligently around the clock." He called for veterinary doctors to be included in the health violence law, emphasizing that such incidents have increased significantly in recent times and urging all authorities to take urgent action.
